Earlier this year the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a detailed patent application from Samsung relating to a 3D Film that could either be integrated directly into a smart device display or as a leaf within a case of a device that could fit over the display when a user wishes to watch a 3D movie or view 3D photos and possibly enhance their Samsung Gear VR Virtual Reality Headset experience with a future Galaxy Note smartphone. When viewing standard images, the user simply doesn't apply the 3D film.
Samsung Invents a Unique 3D Film for Future Mobile Devices that could be Permanent or Temporary
Samsung notes early on that autostereoscopic systems have a distinct advantage of enabling a user to view a 3D image without the need of 3D glasses. Its drawback however is that it reduces the brightness of the display and narrows the viewing angle when compared to a clear LCD.
Yet not all images are required to be displayed in a 3D format in all devices, such as in the case of a smartphone. For example, a smartphone may be used mainly for displaying images which need not be realized in 3D, such as viewing the web, a text message, a memo, a calendar and many others.
Therefore, there is a need for a technology which enables a user to readily convert a normal image into a 3D image with a simple manipulation, so as to be appropriately used according to image characteristics.
Samsung's invention generally relates to a display apparatus like a smartphone that could accept an attached 3D film and easily detach when needed.
Quick Overview: The foregoing and/or other features and utilities relating to the present invention may also be achieved by providing a display apparatus, comprising a display unit to display a 2D image and a 3D image on a screen thereof, a sensing unit formed at a position of the display apparatus to sense a 3D display element, and a control unit configured to control the display unit to display at least one of the 2D image and the 3D image according to a state of the sensing unit.
Gaze Controls: The display method may further comprise sensing a user's eye gaze, and displaying a guide UI to indicate a direction to adjust the user's eye gaze if an alignment of the user's eye gaze with the display apparatus does not satisfy predetermined requirements.
Magnetic Force: The 3D display film and the display apparatus may be attached by a magnetic force, and the sensing may use a magnetic field sensor to sense whether the 3D display film is attached. The 3D display film and the display unit may each include a magnetic body, and the sensing unit may include a magnetic field sensor to sense whether the 3D display film is attached to the display unit.
The 3D display element may have at least one protrusion corresponding to at least one slot in the display apparatus such that the 3D display element may be coupled to the display apparatus.
Concavo-Convex Portions: The 3D display film may include a first concavo-convex portion, the display apparatus may include a second concavo-convex portion and at least one sensor provided in the second concavo-convex portion, the 3D display film may be attached to the display apparatus by connection of the first and the second concavo-convex portions, and the sensing may use at least one sensor to sense whether the 3D display film is attached.
Samsung's patent FIG. 18 noted below is a view illustrating an example in which a 3D display film is connected to a smartphone case; FIG. 19 is a view illustrating a 3D display film connected through a hinge unit.
Samsung's patent FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which a future smartphone may include a plurality of sensors noted as sensors A, B, C and D that may be arranged at each edge of the display unit as noted below.
In order for the display unit (#110) to display a 3D image with high resolution, the 3D display film (#210) is required to be attached accurately, and when attached, sensors A, B, C and D sense the attaching state. Based on the sensing results by sensors A, B, C and D, the control unit (#130) may determine whether the 3D display film is attached accurately according predetermined requirements.
Gaze Controls
Samsung's patent FIG. 13 noted below illustrates an overall configuration of various constituent elements by taking an example of a case wherein the display apparatus includes various functions, such as a display function, a communication function, a video playing function and an image mode conversion function. Thus, some constituent elements thereof may be omitted or changed, or other constituent elements may be further added, depending on requirements of an exemplary embodiment.
Samsung's patent FIG. 14 noted above is a view illustrating a method of sensing a user's eye gaze; FIG. 15 is a view illustrating an example of an inappropriate eye gaze of a user; and FIG. 16 is a view illustrating a guide UI for adjusting a user's eye gaze.
For example, the eye gaze sensing unit #140 may sense whether a virtual line #240 crossing the display apparatus is in parallel with a line #245 connecting a user's two eyes #260.
When the eye gaze sensing unit senses that the virtual line crossing the display apparatus isn't parallel with the line #245 connecting the user's two eyes, the control unit #130 may control the display unit to display a guide UI element (as seen as #250 in FIG. 16) to indicate a direction to adjust the display apparatus or a user's eye gaze, based on the result sensed by the eye gaze sensing unit.
For example, as illustrated in patetn FIG. 15, when the eye gaze sensing unit senses that a left side of the line #245 connecting the user's two eyes goes down as compared against the case where the virtual line #240 crossing the display apparatus is in parallel with the line #245 connecting the user's two eyes, the control unit may determine that a left end of the display apparatus is required to go down to be adjusted to the optimal position of alignment with the user's two eyes.
Samsung filed their U.S. patent application back in July 2014. The application was published by USPTO earlier this year. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
A Note for Tech Sites covering our Report: We ask tech sites covering our report to kindly limit the use of our graphics to one set of images as they're laid out in our report. UPSTO doesn't group patent figures as we've done, doesn't highlight or clarify elements in a patent figure. This is painstaking work done by Patently Mobile. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation.
Patently Mobile presents a detailed summary of patent applications with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent application should be read in its entirety for full and accurate details. About Posting Comments: Patently Mobile reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments.
Comments